Chrysanthemum plant named White Cantata

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named White Cantata particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; white ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 76 to 89 mm when fully opened, when grown as a single stem spray cut mum; photoperiodic flowering response to short days when grown in Salinas, Calif., is 46 to 54 days after start of short days. Flowering response in Bogota, Colombia is 63 to 66 days; plant height is 76 to 91 cm when grown in Salinas with 11 long days prior to start of short days; height is 99 to 109 cm when grown in Bogota with 14 to 15 long days prior to start of short days; peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing the apical bud without growth regulator applications is 8 to 15 cm when grown in Salinas, and 10 to 20 cm when grown in Bogota. Peduncle length of the fourth lateral at flowering is 13 to 20 cm when grown in Salinas, and 18 to 23 cm when grown in Bogota, and excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name White Cantata.

White Cantata, identified as 3482 (87-512D07), is a product of amutation induction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selectedby Cornelis P. VandenBerg on Oct. 25, 1990, in a controlled environmentin Salinas, Calif., as one flowering plant within a flowering blockestablished as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposedas unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 2000 rads in Fort Myers,Fla., on Apr. 19, 1990.

The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivar identified as Cantata,disclosed in my Plant patent application Ser. No. 07/745,701, now U.S.Plant Pat. No. 8,172. Cantata can be described as a spray cut mum with aflat capitulum form; a daisy capitulum type, a light pink ray floretcolor in the red group; diameter across face of capitulum of 76 to 89 mmwhen fully opened; flowering response period of 46 to 54 days afterstart of short days in Salinas, Calif., and of 59 to 66 days in Bogota,Colombia; plant height of 69 to 97 cm when grown in Salinas with 3 to 11long days prior to start of short days, and 94 to 107 cm when grown inBogota with 14 to 15 long days prior to start of short days; andexcellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation andflower development. The foregoing description of Cantata has a somewhatwider range of measurements than the description of Cantata in thepending application noted. This is based on the continued floweringtrials of Cantata after preparing and filing the application forCantata.

The irradiation program resulting in White Cantata had as its primaryobjective the expansion of color ranges of the parent cultivar Cantata.The irradiation program comprised irradiating cuttings of the parentcultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 and 2000 rads. A total of1,966 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants wereplanted on Aug. 27, 1990, Aug. 13, 1990 and Aug. 13, 1990, respectively.Of these, 23 initial selections were made, which selections were thenrevegetated and reflowered. Three consecutive flowerings resulted indiscarding 20 of the original 23 selections on Jul. 26, 1991, while 3codes were retained as PI (Possible Introduction) status. The threeretained codes were further tested in Salinas, Calif., and in Bogota,Colombia, ultimately resulting in the decision to introduce all threeremaining selections as White Cantata, Lemon Cantata and Peach Cantata.The latter two cultivars are disclosed in pending plant patentapplications.

The first act of asexual reproduction of White Cantata was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the original selection inDecember 1990 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., bytechnicians working under supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of succesiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for White Cantata are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

White Cantata has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif., and in Bogota, Colombia, under greenhouseconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialgreenhouse practice. The low night temperature tolerance was determinedin repeated flowerings in Bogota, Colombia at temperatures as low as5-10 degrees Celsius.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of White Cantata, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. White ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 76 to 89 mm when fully opened,when grown as a single stem spray cut mum.

5. Photoperiodic flowering response to short days when grown in Salinas,Calif., is 46 to 54 days after start of short days. Flowering responsein Bogota, Colombia is 63 to 66 days.

6. Plant height is 76 to 91 cm when grown in Salinas with 11 long daysprior to start of short days; height is 99 to 109 cm when grown inBogota with 14 to 15 long days prior to start of short days.

7. Peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing theapical bud without growth regultor applications is 8 to 15 cm when grownin Salinas, and 10 to 20 cm when grown in Bogota. Peduncle length of thefourth lateral at flowering is 13 to 20 cm when grown in Salinas, and 18to 23 cm when grown in Bogota.

8. Excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation andflower development.

The accompanying photographic drawing is a side view of a single stemcut spray mum of White Cantata, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to White Cantata is the parent cultivar Cantata. All traitsof White Cantata are similar to those of Cantata, except for the rayfloret color. White Cantata has a white ray floret color, while Cantatahas a light pink ray floret color.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a single stem spray cut mum in Salinas, Calif.,on Dec. 15, 1992.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv White Cantata.

Commercial.--Flat daisy cut spray mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--76 to 89 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--White.

Color (upper surface).--155D to clear white.

Color (under surface).--155D to clear white.

Shape.--Straight, oblong, slightly ribbed.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--14A to 14B.

Color (immature).--144B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; moderate pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--76 to 91 cm when grown in Salinas with 11 long days prior tostart of short days; height is 99 to 109 cm when grown in Bogota with 14to 15 long days prior to start of short days.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named White Cantata,as described and illustrated.